EPA and Colorado seek community input on Workplan to advance environmental justice goals
DENVER — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment are seeking public feedback on a draft Workplan to implement a memorandum of understanding signed on March 8, 2022, which advances environmental justice through enforcement and compliance assurance. The partnership expresses a shared commitment to work together to engage and serve communities that are disproportionately impacted by pollution, historically marginalized, overburdened, or underserved. To advance this effort, the agencies are asking community members to review and provide feedback on a draft Workplan that will guide the agencies’ efforts and ensure they honor the commitments outlined in the agreement.
The two agencies sought community feedback before drafting the Workplan, and used it to identify actions that will improve how the agencies work with each other, and with communities, to identify and address environmental problems. The focus areas of the draft Workplan include:
- Strategically targeting inspections in disproportionately impacted communities.
- Collaborating on enforcement and compliance assurance actions to reduce pollution burdens.
- Creating equitable opportunities for communities across Colorado to learn and engage with us about enforcement and compliance issues.
EPA and CDPHE are seeking additional feedback now that the draft Workplan is complete.
“Public input is critical to the success of our efforts to improve health, the environment, and quality of life in overburdened communities, where the impacts of pollution are often heaviest,” said EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker. “I encourage those living and working in impacted communities to review the Workplan and provide input to help us deliver results as we move forward under this joint agreement.”
“This draft Workplan will give our agencies the framework to make a real difference in reducing the disproportionate share of pollution in communities throughout Colorado,” said CDPHE Director of Environmental Health and Protection Trisha Oeth. “It’s a critical step in the right direction and hearing from Coloradans will ensure the Workplan is representative of the communities most impacted by pollution.”
Engaging with disproportionately impacted communities is a priority for EPA and CDPHE. They welcome input from members of the public and want to ensure that enforcement and compliance assurance activities encourage community engagement and benefit those most harmed by environmental pollution. Please email cdphe_ej@state.co.us to share your thoughts about the draft Workplan. You can also fill out a survey and answer specific questions about the Workplan. We are seeking public comment on the draft Workplan through November 22, 2022.